New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-03-27
DE LESSEPS AT BERLIN.
RREAKFASTING WITH BOULANGER THE
PRINCESS OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.

NJ de Lessers has notion OF the amusement his
Gascon way of talking and advertising hlmsen
causes in Berlin. He Is called by the Crown frnoe
snd Princess funny OLD Snowman. 1t was
.";s..to n charge him with diplomatic mission
to the capital of the German Empire, uuder the
re.ext of getting him to take the insignia OF Grand
,sicer of the Legion of Honor to NJ. Herbette
whose children were, when they were in Paris the
oIavu ates Of the Juvenile Lessepses. l saw tie
great old Frenchman at party the evening Deiore
he started for Berlin. He declared no had no mis-
sion whatever, beyond one of civility to NJ. her
bette Merhought he aid protest TOO much WINS
he was speaking Sir Rivers Wilson came up ana IL
occurred to ire that when he was denying LILO 'i"s'
of what the new spapers had been saying about tine
inheritance of his Journey to Berlin, he wlsheu INC
Englishman in question to believe the contrary VI
what he de Lesseps was saying At any rate now
ever he nay be cause for amusement at Berlin no
has been splendidly received. lie telegraphs 10
Nine de Lesseps every day bulletins descriptive
of his triumphs The Ethnographcal Society has en-
tertained him at matinee to when all inc
university professors of Berlin were invited. Much
enthusiasm was shown when he entered the room.
He went to dine with the Imperial family yester-
day and on the invitation of the Empress called on
her to-day to have long chat with her about
Panama. Egvpt. his children and other topics in
which she expressed herself interested The tele-
gram TO Mime. de Lesseps SAID Her Majesty at
dinner asked me for the photographs of myself you
aad the little family, and to-day saw them placed
in an album which she keeps near her on little
table"
NJ do Lesseps has also been to see Prince Bis
marck. He preached In his conversation with the
august and iustrous personages whom he has met
at Berlin very delicate question. which NJ Her
bette did not venture to touch. 1t was whetner
Germany would or would not be represented at tho
Of at which
declined officially TO appear NJ. de Lesseps,
know. was told to say that there would DO no fetes
Mt the Champs de Mars at whch the representa-
tves of q conservative and monarchcal power
could take umbrage. There would no doubt be cell
ebrations of the great episodes of the revolution
because the people of Paris would insist on having
them. But they would be confined as much as
possible to the industrial districts OF Paris and to
Versailles. 1t Is no close secret that the German
md Austrian Ambassadors have positively IN the
names of their Governments, declined participation
in the great international show which is to COM
memorate the political events of 1889; but they
left il TO be understood that another might
be taken ere the Exposition put oil for another
year. To consent to this course would cause the
Deputies of Paris who are in power 10 lose Their
seats in the Chamber. NJ. de Lesseps " as told to
say that the most moderate year OF the RevolutoL-
ary PERIOD was the opening one and that 1t was
disgraced by no sanguinary terrors Relatively to
the men OF the Convention. those of the National
Assembly which met at Versailles were conserva-
tive and moderate.
General Boulanger continues to he the observed
of all observers. In the course of the week had
the pleasure OF breakfasting with HIM at the War
Office here his family do not live. because" said
the General there are only two bedrooms in this
immense palace; just room for myself and my wife
But there is not spot where | could put my
daughters to Sleep TIE General chats delightful
IL. He is very anecdotic and very frank. We
talked good deal of Algeria, Ceylon and Canada
Now and then, but never at any length, the situa-
tion of Europe was discussed. The General is not
for war unless France is attacked, in which case
there should not be an Instant of indecision, but
grdng up of the loins and resolrte facing for
ward. lie thinks war, even though it should end
for France in brilliant triumph. would be a
terrible misfortune
General Boulanger has deal of moral courage
and does not mind what is said about him. He had
early to steel hi,uself against harsh gibeS. How
was that. General 7" | asked. "SimI ly 10y being
often and for long intervals when boy IN England.
You know how intolerant English schoolbovs are
of foreign peculiarties, indeed pecuharities of
any sort. Now, whenever vent Oh a visit to my
uncles in Brighton, | always had French-made
clothes and spoke English with strong French
|
was not only for my schoolmates but fer the
young street arabs, French dog and froggy.'
and many other things equally hateful in their
eyes. The boxing matches endless. Ny
unces insisted my learning how to defend
myself and take my own part. My temperament Is
British product 1 learned in Brighton how to
stand being roasted with gibes, and don't
mind a bit how | am abused, laughed at calumni-
ated."
The General is Of The best business men in
France. lie Is very methodic and has an 6xtraor
dinary memory. / have sometimes dropped into
the War Office at midnight and much later my
way home from soirees, and found him at his desk.
One is pretty TO find him in his Office up to in
the morning lie is chivalrously courteous to
women, and is much beset by them. There is
drawing-room at the Ministry of War exclusively
set apart for ladies who to solicit favors Of
the General for friends. relatives proteges who
are in the army. Fer many hours in the day it is
usually well filled with elegantly dressed ladies'
Mme Boulanger seldom goes to the Ministry of
War. All the family board at the Louvre. but Dot
at the table d hotc. She and her daughters say
that they we're happier before the General rose so
high and had so much to do because he was then
able to spend the most Of his evenings will: them He
is at his iireside delightful companion. rheyOung
officers belonging to his official staff are treated by
him at table comrades. But the instant they
rise from it he makes them feel their distance from
him. In this way he commands their affection and
maintains strict dscip line No slackness in bust
ness is endured by him.
Princess Superintendent has fast followed her
venerable lover, the Able List. to the grave. She
was Roman Catholic and on that account did not
when her husband divorced her in 1855, press the
famous pianist to marry her The Princess took
him from the Countess d. Agoult. lady OF rank
" no wit i'm early fha nnfI nnia
Philippe aud wandered over Europe in his COM
pany. They had literary sa.on in Paris. whence
they shifted their quarters TO Rome and then to
Weimar and here the Princess of Sayn-Wittgen-
stein made attack upon him and became his
mistress. Mme dAgoult not being willing TO stay
with him Oh Mormon basis left him and returned
IN parta IN her dam mar v